Findings published in this monthís issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition report that low levels of B vitamins and high homocysteine concentrations in older adults could be associated with decreasing levels of cognitive performance.
Homocysteine, an amino acid that has been tied to heart disease and stroke, can be lowered with folate and vitamins B6 and B12. These latest study findings suggest to researchers that B vitamin supplements may help prevent homocysteine-related cognitive decline.
Researchers from Tufts University and the Boston University School of Public Health found that folate (a B vitamin) was independently protective against a decline in a spatial copying score, it also protected against a decline in verbal fluency, while a high homocysteine concentration was associated with a decline in recall memory.
These findings are promising for older adults experiencing mental decline as a result of high homocysteine levels.
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